


Ball

by Mntdewtop



Series: Punk, Jerk, and Dollface [11]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Political Animals
Genre: Ballroom Dancing, Cocaine, Meeting for the first time, Multi, Past, Tj playing the piano
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-08
Updated: 2017-01-08
Packaged: 2018-09-15 20:41:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9256136
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mntdewtop/pseuds/Mntdewtop
Summary: TJ meets Bucky and Steve for the first time.





	

TJ was right in the middle of a piece when he looked up to see the dancers. They floated around on air, spinning once or twice quickly then slowly waltzing around the dance floor. The men lead proudly and the women never letting the ends of their high heel shoes touch the clean ground. The keys he tapped with the pads of his agile fingers filled the large echo-y room. Somebody once told TJ a person could only tell how another is felling by the way one is when playing an instrument alone. Tonight the sadness of the ivory keys and the charcoal decorated the otherwise meaningless room. The crowd opened up like the red sea abruptly to uncover a pair of dancers. They were both men. One with long dark hair rested his head on the chest of the taller blonde. Captian America and The Winter soldier. Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes. The pair had their eyes closed, probably imagining they're alone. Both of them so in love. TJ ached for that kind of love. He didn't want anymore late-night hookups, no more one month flings and breakups that left him in heartbreak. Bucky was facing TJ, his stubble covered jawline that could cut diamonds. The song was nearing the end. TJ sang the last few words ever so quietly, " _You said it would be painless, it wasn't that at all."_ The keys stopped and so did the dancers who turned to the pianists and applauded him. TJ smiled and walked to the bar and ordered a drink. He sipped his scotch when Bucky and Steve sat down next to him on the bar stools. 

"Thomas Hammond, right?" Bucky caught his attention. 

"Yes, that's me."

"You're amazing." Steve smiled and then seemed to remember the words that came out of his mouth after a few seconds of awkward silence, "at the piano. I mean. You're really good. " His face burned pink to his ears.

"Thanks. I saw you two dancing. "

"Then I need to apologize. Stevie here has about three left feet."

"Hey. I practiced. "

"You did. And the outcome was a broken lamp and shattered glass."

"How did that happen? " He butted in.

"I would tell you if I knew, doll." TJ's heart fluttered at the nickname Bucky said.

TJ's mother came up to him hurriedly. "TJ, I need you behind the piano, ready to play in ten. Playing the piece we talked about."

"With or without a surprise appearance from Nana? "

"Let's hope for without." She kissed his cheek and rushed off to the next person. 

 

                                                                                                                       ⊙⊙⊙

After what felt like longest allegro in his life he went to the men's rooms. TJ locked the door but didn't bother to check if anyone was still in here. He poured the white powder that never failed to give him a second wind, get him through the night, onto the bathroom counter. He separated it into three lines with a razor blade and snorted the cocaine, going into his bloodstream instantly. He calculated how long the high would last (about 2 hours) and how much he had left with him (about enough for an hour high). TJ looked at his face to see if he had any white on his nose, no there wasn't. But what he did see was a disappointed Steve Rogers. "This isn't what it looks like, I mean, uh. I'm sorry."

Steve crossed his arms. "It looks like you just did a additive drug that can and eventually will kill you. Do you know what that does to your body?"

"I'm sorry, I'll see you later."

"I will." TJ rushed out the door, ran across to the middle of the dance floor. People twirled around him, bottoms of dresses brush against his shoes and his heart felt like it was just taking up space in his chest. A cold hand took his and spun him round and round until his front was pressed flush against another, Bucky Barnes to exact.

"Hi doll. "

"Hi." TJ looked up at Bucky, mesmerized. The taller man held tightly on to TJ and did most of the dancing, really. 

"Don't you think it's a little weird that we look so similar? "

"A little bit. I think you're better looking though."

"I can agree with that but you're cuter. " The dance sped up. "Bye, doll." Bucky spun him and let go but his metal thumb caught TJ's skin. Dark red blood flooded out of a small cut. Before TJ knew it Steve took his hand and wrapped his arm around the back of his hip.

"Told you I'd find you again." The music slowed again. 

"Yeah."

"Hey wait, you're bleeding. Let's get you fixed up." Steve pulled him over to the side of the room and took a bar rag off of a shoulder that belonged to a waiter without him noticing. He wrapped the rag around the wound and added a gentle pressure. "I think it's gonna leave a scar. But otherwise I think you're gonna be okay. " 

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, Thomas."

"Oh, you can call me Tj."

"TJ. Well, nice meeting you. I uh, wrote this down for you." Steve pulled out a crumpled piece of torn paper with a phone number written on it and gave it to his uninjured hand, "here, maybe Bucky and I can you some other time."

"I'd love that." TJ held the paper to his heart like it was gold.


End file.
